Variety of calligraphy tattoo designs
Calligraphic tattoos can be safely called a true work of art. Elegant inscriptions in monograms look like completely independent masterpieces; Hollywood actors, martial artists and other famous people love to put them on the body. A detailed overview of the possible options for their use will help to evaluate all the advantages of sketches of tattoos with a calligraphic font on the arm, leg and other parts of the body.
Style features
Calligraphy in tattoo art is one of the trends that developed at the end of the 20th century, but remains popular to this day. The main elements of the composition here are beautifully written letters... But the master displays them first on a stencil, and then on the surface of the skin. Calligraphy is distinguished from ordinary inscriptions by its artistic performance with elements that are not characteristic of the usual style of letters and symbols.
The style features can be formulated as follows.
- Hand drawing letters... Due to this, the uniqueness of the image is achieved. The stencil inscription can be made by the owner of the tattoo or the artist who performs it. Then, additional techniques will be used that are necessary exclusively for decoration.
- Unlimited choice of languages... The most popular are English, Chinese, Arabic, Latin, Elvish.
- Artistic distortion. Calligraphy is about bringing the aesthetics of the lettering to perfection. Every detail of such a message on the body is carefully verified.
- Monochrome... Calligraphy does not need any decoration other than lettering. Monochromatic inscriptions look more strict and concise, focusing on the main thing - the meaning of the tattoo.
- Unlimited sizes. You can make a miniature or create an entire manifest covering the surface of the chest or back.
- Readability... Despite all the decorative elements, the inscription should be easy to read and understand.
- Aesthetics... Calligraphy means that the pattern on the body will be beautiful, harmonious and proportionate.
All these features are of great importance. It is they who distinguish calligraphy from other lettering styles, emphasize its elitism and isolation.
Variety of fonts
Choosing a font is one of the main challenges for a calligraphic master. Ideally, the line should be "live", without preliminary marking, but not all specialists know the subject so well. That is why it is important from the very beginning to determine not only the phrase, but also the font for its style, the size of the image.
The most popular calligraphic lettering options are created using just a few fonts.
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Celtica. Celtic motifs bring an element of originality to the art of calligraphy. This font is characterized by the use of bold lettering. The bends of the elements are unusual, typical of Celtic ornaments.
- Italics... The most versatile font that fits easily into the overall aesthetic of calligraphy. Italics blend easily with monograms and curls.
- Arab... Traditional ligature is used here. The choice of the inscription must be done very carefully. It is better to turn to a master who is fluent in the chosen language.
- Chinese characters. This is where the art of calligraphy is revealed to the fullest. But just one wrong line can completely distort the meaning of the tattoo.
- Gothic... It reflects the tradition of German letterforming. Pointed elements, stinginess and conciseness of forms - these are the hallmarks of this font.
A beautiful and clear, well-readable font is what the art of calligraphy is appreciated for. It is also important to preserve it in a tattoo so that you get not just an image with an inscription, but an art object that has its own value.
Places of application
Typically, calligraphy tattoo designs are selected based on the size of the area to be applied. There are several of the most popular options.
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Hands... A calligraphic tattoo in this case can be quite large, taking up a significant part of the shoulder or forearm. Vertically aligned lettering often covers the entire surface of the skin on the hand. In Arabic culture, inscriptions or letters are often applied to the hand or individual fingers.
- Head... In Eastern culture, Buddhism, calligraphic inscriptions are especially popular. In this case, the tattoo is located in a circle on the shaved skin of the skull, adorns the temples or the back of the head.
- Breast... Here you can see quite large inscriptions applied legibly and clearly.
- Neck... This option is popular in Arab countries and Asia. A tattoo on the neck with 1 or 2 consecutive hieroglyphs is often chosen by fans of Japanese culture.
- Back... Here you can use different options for the arrangement of letters, their size and even colors. The technique with a scroll or papyrus, on which letters are depicted, can be used.
- Small of the back... Here they use an abundance of ligature, the inscriptions are made in the form of "winged" expressions or quotations from literary works.
- Legs... Usually the inscription is placed vertically on the thigh or lower leg. It is made quite large, clearly visible at a great distance.
The choice of area for tattooing in a calligraphic style largely depends on the meaning of the inscription.
Some sayings have a place only at the heart or on the wrist; they are never placed below the waist or on the feet. If the inscription has a religious connotation, it is usually accompanied by the image of a cross or other symbol.